Ireland had been scheduled to host Israel in the Uefa Nations League in Dublin on October 4, a week after Israel’s ‘home’ fixture, which will likely be played in Hungary, on September 27.
Last month, a number of Irish footballers and celebrities signed an open letter, penned by Irish Sport for Palestine, calling for the cancellation of the two matches.
Among the 39 signatories were ten current players in the League of Ireland, none of whom have been capped internationally.
Several Ireland players commented on the Israel fixture in press conferences during their 1-0 friendly win against Qatar two weeks ago, including captain Nathan Collins, veteran defender Seamus Coleman, and midfielder Jamie McGrath.
That game was temporarily interrupted when fans threw tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag onto the pitch.
Jamie McGrath stands among tennis balls featuring the Palestine flag which were thrown onto the pitch during the friendly against Qatar on May 28 (photo: Charles McQuillan / Getty Images)Getty Images
The FAI also referenced a 2025 motion to propose the suspension of Israel from Uefa competitions “for a breach of Uefa statutes” and emphasised their commitment to “continue to reflect that sentiment”.
The FAI included a quote from the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), which said it “expresses its appreciation for the principled positions taken by the FAI in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and Palestinian athletes.
“The PFA also affirms its respect for the decision made by the FAI within the framework of its sporting and international obligations, in a manner that enables it to continue fulfilling its noble mission of serving football and promoting the values of justice, solidarity, and mutual respect.”
The FAI statement acknowledged that Uefa sanctions could apply to them should Ireland refuse to play the matches.
The team could forfeit six points which, they said, “could lead to relegation to League C in the Uefa Nations League and weaken our qualifying potential for Uefa Euro 2028”.
It could, they said, also have “a direct impact on Ireland’s Uefa and Fifa rankings”, which can also affect qualification for tournaments.
The FAI also stated that “the converse of [both] these impacts would apply for Israel”, who would benefit in both in terms of the Nations League and their qualification prospects for future tournaments.
The Uefa Nations League was introduced to give national teams the opportunity to play competitive matches against teams of similar abilities.
The Irish national team has lost exactly half of all matches it has played in the competition since its launch in 2018.
Neither Uefa nor the FAI has yet indicated the location of the neutral venue for the fixture in October.
